Another criminal proceeding has been opened against Serhii Kropyva, the former deputy head of the Department of International Cooperation of the Office of the Prosecutor General, following an official inquiry. Acting Prosecutor General Anton Kovalskyi said this while speaking with journalists, UNN correspondent reports.
According to Kovalskyi, the official inquiry uncovered facts indicating violations of the Law of Ukraine "On the Prosecutor's Office," in particular by Serhii Kropyva. As a result of the inquiry, a criminal proceeding was registered today, November 2.
I separately registered a criminal proceeding and instructed the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate the facts uncovered during the official inquiry. This concerns the use of official vehicles for purposes other than those intended, absence from the workplace, and being in Bukovel, although during that time he was recorded as being at work and was paid for it
The criminal proceeding was opened under Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misappropriation, embezzlement of property, or taking possession of it through abuse of official position committed under martial law) and Part 1 of Article 366 (official forgery).
The results of the official inquiry will also be submitted for consideration to the Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of Prosecutors, which will decide on Kropyva's dismissal from the prosecution service.
Operation "Carthage"
On September 4, the NABU and SAPO announced the first results of Operation "Carthage," during which, according to the investigation, a criminal organization headed by an official of the Office of the Prosecutor General was exposed. According to investigators, members of the organization "protected" networks of fraudulent call centers and legalized assets obtained through criminal means.
It later became known that this concerned Serhii Kropyva, the deputy head of the Department of International Cooperation of the Office of the Prosecutor General. According to the investigation, in mid-2025 he created and headed the organization from the senior structural units of the Office of the Prosecutor General and allegedly involved prosecution service employees and affiliated persons in it.
The NABU and SAPO claim that members of the organization systematically received unlawful benefits in exchange for not obstructing the activities of so-called call centers that defrauded Ukrainian citizens and foreigners.
According to the investigation, the funds received were legalized through the purchase of real estate, jewelry, and other valuable assets worth more than UAH 20 million. The organization's members allegedly placed another more than UAH 10 million in the accounts of close associates, presenting the money as income from business activities.
The OPG stated that an official inquiry was being conducted, and that all persons subject to the inquiry had been suspended from performing their official duties for the duration of the pretrial investigation.
On Sunday, September 6, the HACC ruled to remand Kropyva in custody with an alternative bail of UAH 120 million. The court later reduced the bail amount to UAH 93 million.
On September 7, the court also ordered precautionary measures for Kropyva's cohabiting partner, Yelyzaveta Ivakhnenko, and his driver, Serhii Kutsoi.
On September 8, the HACC remanded lawyer Oleksandr Dydych—the relative and trusted associate of Office of the Prosecutor General official Serhii Kropyva—in custody.
The then Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko denied any involvement in the criminal schemes but resigned. On September 15, Parliament dismissed Kravchenko from office.
On September 17, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi appointed Anton Kovalskyi as acting Prosecutor General. Before that, he headed the Khmelnytskyi Regional Prosecutor's Office. One of Kovalskyi's first decisions was to abolish the position of deputy head of the Department of International Cooperation, which had been held by Kropyva.